Mary Rudge
Mary Roberta Rudge (March 30, 1928 - January 19, 2014) was a Bay Area poet and prose author. Life Rudge was born Mary Wood in Los Angeles, and grew up in Texas and Oklahoma. As a child, she loved art, and spent hours drawing and writing poetry. Her 1st husband died in a car accident, leaving behind her and a child; she and her 2nd, a Navy seaman, divorced after their 6 children were born. Rudge as a single parent raised all 7 children (5 of whom survived her, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren). Rudge taught art and history at schools in Oakland and Alameda. She was active in the Ina Coolbrith Circle and the Jack London Society, as well as the Association of California Poet Laureates.Nanette Bradley Deetz, "Alameda: Mary Rudge, beloved Island’s poet laureate, dies at 85, East Bay Times, January 22, 2014. Web, Aug. 18, 2018. She co-wrote For the Love of Jack London: His ife with Jennie Prentiss; a true love story with Eugene Lasartemay, about Jack London and his foster mother, Jennie Prentiss. Recognition Rudge was named poet laureate of Alameda in 2002. That year she founded the Alameda Island Poets. She raised awareness about the importance of poetry by holding poetry contests and establishing poet laureates in the high schools. In addition to the poet laureate title, which she held until her death, Rudge earned a string of honors that included the California Federation of Chaparral Poets’ Golden Pegasus trophy, honorary degrees, and a “Princess of Poetry” honor in Italy.Michele Ellson, "Passings: Alameda poet laureate Mary Rudge," The Alamedan, January 22, 2014. Web, Aug. 18, 2018. On May 11, 2013, Rudge was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the city of Berkeley, California, at the Berkeley Poetry Festival. Publications Poetry *''The Fringe''. M.R. Rudge, 1975. *''Bus Poems: Transit Poet''. M.R. Rudge, 1975. *''Oakland is a Holy City: Poems''. Oakland, CA: M.R. Rudge, 1976, 2006. *''Maps for Poets''. Madras, India: Sayeeda Publications, 1985. *''Water Planet: Poems''. Oakland, CA: Gateway Arts, 1986. *''Going to China, and other places''. Berkeley, CA: Mother's Hen, 1987. *''Hungary, Austria, and other passions''. San Francisco : Artists Embassy International,1994. *''Beat: She can't be beat''. Berkeley, CA: Mother's Hen, 1996. *''The Skin of God: Poems''. Berkeley, CA: Beatitude Press, 2008. *''For Ireland''. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2011. Non-fiction *''For Love of Jack London: His life with Jennie Prentiss; a true love story'' (with Eugene P. Lasartemay). New York: Vantage, 1991. *''Jack London's Neighborhood: A pleasure walker's and reader's guide to history and inspiration in Alameda''. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2013. Edited *''Peace Poems by Children''. California Federation of Chaparral Poets, 1983. *''Glory Days: Alameda poets anthology, 1991''. Alameda, CA: Alameda Poets, 1991. *''Farewell to Armaments: Poems for peace anthology''. Oakland, CA: Estuary Press, 2003. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Mary Rudge, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 18, 2018. See also *List of U.S. poets References Notes External links ;Poems *Mary Rudge (1928-2014) profile & poem ("She felt her thoughts as rocks") at Poetry Hotel Press ;Audio / video *Mary Rudge at YouTube ;Books *Mary Rudge at Amazon.com ;About *"Alameda: Mary Rudge, beloved Island’s poet laureate, dies at 85, East Bay Times *MARY RUDGE, Alameda’s poet laureate (1928 – 2014) - In Memoriam, Al Young This page uses Creative Commons-licensed content from the Oakland Wiki. Original article is at "Mary Rudge" Category:20th-century poets Category:20th-century women writers Category:American poets Category:American women writers Category:English-language poets Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:American Poets Laureate Category:Poets